Formation of the College of Engineering Dean Search Advisory Committee
From Dr. Gloria Waters, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Professor Elise Morgan was appointed as dean ad interim of the Boston University College of Engineering (ENG) in July 2023. This fall we will begin a national search to identify a permanent dean for the College.
The process for constituting a dean search advisory committee, outlined in the BU Faculty Handbook, specifies that: “the advisory committee shall consist of three faculty members elected by the faculty of the school for which a dean is to be selected, two faculty members elected by the Faculty Council from other schools, and as many as three members designated by the provost.”
The faculty members who are appointed to serve on the advisory committee will have responsibility for directing the search effort and should be among our most thoughtful, engaged, and committed scholars, teachers, and leaders. The faculty most well-positioned to carry out this work will be actively engaged in significant ways in their professional communities and within their academic disciplines and should demonstrate the capacity to proactively attract and recruit outstanding candidates for the ENG deanship. They also should be willing to coordinate with faculty not on the committee who have colleagues and networks likely to yield excellent candidates. Please note that no member of the advisory committee may be considered for the position of dean.
I am requesting that the faculty in the College of Engineering organize internally to solicit nominations and to elect three faculty representatives to the search advisory committee. Any individual who would have a role in overseeing the election within ENG should neither wish to serve on the dean search advisory committee nor want to be a candidate for the dean’s position. I have asked Joshua Semeter and David Starobinski, both professors of electrical and computer engineering and representatives on Faculty Council, to organize the election to identify the ENG representatives. I will meet with the ENG faculty and staff on September 20 to discuss the search effort as the election process gets under way.
Boston University’s Faculty Council will also send an email communication to all members of the faculty on the Charles River and Medical Campuses requesting nominations of candidates external to the College of Engineering to fill the two elected seats on the dean search advisory committee. Nominations or expressions of interest can be sent to the Faculty Council (fafc@bu.edu). Please note that membership on the Faculty Council itself is not an eligibility requirement for election to the search advisory committee by the Faculty Council. I request submission of the results of both of these elections no later than October 11. Following receipt, I will appoint additional members so that the committee will be assembled and prepared to begin its work immediately.
The College of Engineering Dean Search Advisory Committee will be charged with responsibility for:
- Proposing refinements to the initial position description;
- Actively soliciting nominations for candidates from appropriate sources within the University and nationally;
- Actively recruiting outstanding candidates who have a record of administrative leadership and achievement and an academic profile suitable for appointment at the level of professor at Boston University;
- Evaluating the qualifications and assessing the strength of nominees and applicants;
- Consulting with the faculty of ENG and other college and University stakeholders on finalists; and
- Recommending the names of 3-5 qualified candidates to me, outlining the strengths and limitations of each, for final selection by the president and me, with approval by the Board of Trustees.
The members of the College of Engineering Dean Search Advisory Committee should not vote as part of its process and deliberations. Rather, the work should be accomplished by discussion and consensus. Ideally, the committee will conclude its work and submit its recommendations no later than March 7, 2025.
The formal appointment of the dean search advisory committee for ENG is forthcoming, and I appreciate your contributions to and support of the search effort.
In closing, I want to thank Professor Elise Morgan for her exemplary leadership as dean ad interim during this time of transition.
Formation of the College of Engineering Dean Search Advisory Committee – 9.5.24